Lunch today came together in a flash thanks to leftover quinoa and roasted vegetables from dinner last night.
Quinoa + Apple chicken sausage + Roasted broccoli + Roasted cauliflower
Three ingredients = Lunchtime winner
Missing the Classroom Environment
Since I graduated college in 2007, it has been a while since I’ve needed to study for anything. Aside from preparing for work presentations, I haven’t really had to sit down and memorize anything for years.
Now that I’m studying for my personal training certification, I’m back in the game! A few of you have asked how studying is going and my answer is simply fine. Not particularly fantastic, but not horrible by any means. It’s a bit slow at times, but I am learning a lot with each chapter I read.
(Coffee and chocolate-covered cashews make excellent study fuel.)
Ever since I started studying, I’ve found myself really missing the classroom environment. As nerdy as it may sound, I genuinely liked being a student. When a charismatic teacher encouraged lively discussions that evoked thoughtful questions, I felt incredibly engaged. Even when a class was rather boring, attending class and following the syllabus kept me motivated and on track.
During my four years in college, I never took an online class because I always craved the classroom environment. Taking a class online, buying a big textbook and essentially teaching myself never really appealed to me. Now that I am doing just that as I study for my personal training certification, I am trying my best to stick to a self-imposed study schedule. It’s going pretty well so far, but I would love to be able to discuss everything I’m learning with others in person as they learn the same thing, ask questions and feel engaged in the material beyond reading and note-taking.
I know there are so many different learning styles out there and I am someone who absolutely loves in-person discussion, interaction and dialog. Reading from a textbook and taking notes is completely fine right now since the subject really interests me, but nothing can replace classroom interaction in my eyes.
Question of the Afternoon
- Do you enjoy learning in a classroom or do you prefer to study the material by yourself and learn on your own?
- Have you ever taken an online class? What did you think?
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I do online schooling right now and I often find myself missing the classroom feel. I liked being able to bounce ideas off classmates easily. I do like that I can work mostly at my own pace but sometimes I miss actual human interaction.
I’m a junior in college (University of Pittsburgh!) and I am enjoying the college classroom life while I’m here. But I’m studying to be an elementary teacher, so I’ll pretty much never be leaving the classroom haha. I took an online class over the summer and it was so different; I definitely prefer the actual classroom environment.
I love the classroom environment, but most of my classes were online to fit with my work and travel schedule. I was home schooled for high school so I am very self-disciplined and used to studying solo.
I’m also very much a classroom person, online classes just don’t appeal to me. I’d have very little motivation! Lol and clearly I like school since I continued onto law school, although now I’m finding it very boring since I’m not really interested in law anymore… oops.
I feel ya’ 100% on the studying! I am working on NASM too in addition to working full-time with a job that requires travel. Needless to say, my studying gets a big huge FINE also. I think it would help to have a study buddy to hold me accountable! Good luck…to us both 🙂
It’s funny you should say this right now. I *just* came back from taking my PSAT (eek!) I’m home schooled, and it’s been over six years since I left public school… being back was kind of emotional- even if it was just for a couple of hours 🙂
But I LOVE being home schooled #soblessed !
I am a classroom girl for sure! I’m a chatty kathy and love interacting with the other students and the teacher. I can read all i want on my own but in class is when it all sinks in and makes sense… I tried an online course in the past but ended up dropping out and opting for the part time class option instead
I’m a junior at Johns Hopkins University this year and I LOVE my classes! I really enjoy doing my readings and staying on track with the syllabus just like you described. I also love using tutors like our tutoring service at school. Something about doing practice problems for a given topic and then meeting back with the same person to go over material is really satisfying for me.
Not to mention we just got an awesome cafe in our newest library wing! It is a really great cafe and they are very nice and accommodating of weird coffee orders as well as serving great snacks- they have house made snack packs at a reasonable price of hard boiled eggs, hummus and veggies and little peanut butter packets. An awesome place all around!
so glad you like your classes! that’s a great feeling! and i also think practice exams/quizzes are very beneficial.
i agree- finding some for an econ class now!
as far as your studies are concerned, do you think there might be a way to get in touch with other people studying for this exam? or people who are recently certified? i can see how even meeting someone for coffee and casually discussing the course material might be fun
I am def a classroom person as well. I looooovveeeddd school. I really did. I kinda always have–and yes, I fully admit that is totally a bit (okay, a lot) nerdy. But that’s who I am! I love learning. And I am lucky to be an industry (health/wellness/fitness) that I love, and that encourages continued learning.
I enjoy being in the classroom but taking the material and really studying it on my own is how I absorb information the best. I took an online class last semester and absolutely hated it. Especially since it was over special education law! When something doesn’t necessarily interest me I HAVE to hear the information instead of just reading a book. I’m a very hands on and visual learner!
I love the classroom 🙂 One the reasons why I became a teacher! Just like being a student, being a teacher is so exhausting and can be frustrating at times, but it’s the most rewarding environment! I can’t imagine NOT being in a classroom!
I graduated college in May, and now I’m studying for my Child Life Specialist exam, while taking an online study course, and I can definitely agree with you – I miss heading to university, sitting in a classroom and engaging in heated discussions and getting the chance to clarify any misconceptions! I’m definitely thinking about going back for my Masters!
I am enrolled in an online class now, since I didn’t have the option to give up my full time job. In some ways, I like it better – I never have to be in a certain place at a certain time, I can go at my own pace, and I make my own schedule. However I definitely miss interacting with peers face-to-face. Online discussions just aren’t the same!
Why don’t you use your blogging/Twitter/Facebook networks to connect with others studying for the certification in the Ocala area and form a study group?
I was going to suggest looking for a group on meetup.com. They have groups for EVERYTHING.
I took a few online courses in college to make it all fit in with my work schedule and it was difficult. It is much harder to learn that way and my grades always reflected that.
I, too, am going to get certified to be a personal trainer and one of the things worrying me is the self study. I like to be able to ask questions or get clarification.
How have you handled that? Are there resources to get questions answered?
I find it interesting that most people equate online learning with zero interaction, because I had a very different experience. I got my MLIS online, but my distance learning program held synchronous classes each week in a virtual classroom. So, though I wasn’t in the same physical space with my peers and professor, we could still all interact in real time using chat, audio and video. My classes still had asychronous elements, like discussion board postings (and papers and other projects, of course), but it was definitely far more interactive than reading textbooks and taking notes.
Anyway, I guess my point is that “online class” can be defined in many ways, particularly now that we have so many conferencing technologies available. When done well, online learning can very engaging…unfortunately, it’s just not often given the attention it deserves. But I think distance learning is a wonderfully flexible option for working adults, and I’d love to see its possibilities more fully recognized.
(Well, that was a tangent, wasn’t it??)
I’m right there with you. I LOVED being a student and graduated from college two years ago. I miss it!! I always enjoyed both classroom learning and also online classes. I did a mixture of both while in school and with classes that were more independent- I found that I needed to ‘block time’ on my calendar for study time or I’d simply forget about it. But as long as I was disciplined to do it, there was something impowering about teaching yourself a topic or subject. It’s kind of cool knowing that you can pretty much teach yourself how to do anything as long as you have the discpline to do so! 🙂
Good luck studying for your personal training certificate!! You’ll do great. How long does the online class take in order to complete? I graduated with a bachelor’s in health education – and who knows… a personal training certificate might be my next step in the future as well!
I definitely loved being a student too! I miss it and am really excited to get back in the environment when I start MBA school in January. I’m a little nervous though! I’ve never taken an online class, but I don’t think I would do too well… I’m like you- I enjoyed the engagement with others and having someone else explain the material to me.
I prefer the classroom because I am able to absorb so much more of the material. I took an online class and although it was convenient and a nice break from demanding college courses, I didn’t get much out of it. I do think blogs can be a great forum for discussion and debate. If you created a forum for fitness, I would be willing to bet a TON of people would participate. There are so many controversial topics that I would love to put in my 2 cents about!
I just started grad school (M.S. in Interactive Media) this semester, and I’m doing it completely online — and it’s been an adjustment for sure! Like you, I never took an online class in undergrad because I absolutely loved being in the classroom. I was a journalism and philosophy major and we had some great discussions and debates in my classes that just wouldn’t have been the same online. 🙂 Unfortunately, I don’t even have the option of taking a class in person now, since my university is almost 2 hours away … that would be a not-so-fun commute, lol. So we’ll see how this semester goes.
I was quite the opposite! I was working full-time while pursuing my Master’s, which obviously forced me to take as much online as I could, and I enjoyed it! Being able to move at my own pace and work when I wanted to work were the best parts!
I graduated college in 2011 and two months later signed up for continuing education courses because I missed the learning so, so much. It was a lot different than the in-class courses I’d taken for so many years but I made sure to engage my family and make them a part of my learning so I still felt like I had a “classroom” environment. Although, most of their responses were “uh-huh” and “ohh okay” so I’m pretty sure they faked it. 😉
I did the same personal training certification this year- passing the test at the end of August. I think it would have been much better to do it in a classroom, but at the same time accomplishing it o your own is pretty amazing 🙂 Best of luck!
I know exactly what you mean! I did my masters part-time while working and I kept wanting to just be done with it but now 2 years later, I honestly miss taking classes! I don’t miss the tests or papers, but I truly miss being in a small classroom with a great teacher and actively discussing things with peers.
I think Online classes are great options, but just aren’t the same for me. (But I’m also the girl who has an ipad AND kindle and still buys paperback copies of books…maybe I’m just stuck in my traditional ways!)
I took nearly all of my classes online my last 2 years of college and LOVED it. I was working full-time so it saved me so much stress to be able to do everything from home. I guess that is why I’m good at being self-employed and working from home now.
I’ve really missed that learning atmosphere of college too. When I was younger, I hated being in class and just figured I’d learn more in my own time from the materials. Thankfully I learned that wasn’t the best way for me to learn. By the end of college, I really enjoyed the active discussions in the classroom and hearing everyone’s opinions. It makes learning so much more interesting.
Although I’ve always considered myself more of a ‘worker’ rather than a ‘student’, I totally miss the classroom setting at times! I’ve taken several online courses before and usually it’s great! Things go smoothly and all, unless the class is really difficult and online classes don’t seem to allow as much hands on help, which is bad for me since i need someone to walk me through material. I think that, and the time management thing that can be a downfall, but unless a class is super hard, I think online classes for just general requirements are great!
I’m actually doing an online MSW(Masters of Social Work) program through University of Southern California & I love it but it’s because they have incorporated alot of the classroom environment to our classes. It’s kinda like Skype & you can see your classmates & your professor so it’s like their on-campus program just online for people who can’t go to a physical school for whatever reason. I’m working part time right now but I have an internship as a part of this program. Let me say this program is tough! I never realized it would be but good grief HAHA!! I have a plain FINE too with my studying habits but I think it’s because I’m sooo BUSY & EXHAUSTED LOL! Enjoy your certification program… I know you’ll do great! 🙂
i totally understand!! i’ve just recently started studying for the GMAT’s on my own, and it’s going “fine” but not great. i know i should just sign up for a regular class but other factors are limiting me from doing so. i wish i had the help of a teacher and other students to help me learn more quickly!! good luck with the studying 🙂
I emphatically agree with you about the classroom. I love being a student, and I miss it so much. I did take some online classes out of necessity, but I really didn’t like it. I never felt like I learned anything.
I am a classroom person all the way. During my 4 years of undergrad and 5 years of grad school I skipped 1 class the entire time (not counting times when I was sick of course). I always learned so much better when I first attended class and then reviewed my notes afterwards. I knew I’d have a hard time motivating myself to learn the material outside of class on my own. I think my grades definitely would have suffered had I done online classes. 🙂
I graduated in May and miss school so much! I am starting to study for the Cooper physical training certificate and hopefully it will the void! I wonder how this certificate compares to NASM?
Oh geeze, ask me that when I’m not in the middle of graduate school. I love discussion, except when people just talk to hear their own voice and not add anything…happens a lot in my experience!
ha! oh yes. i do not miss that at all. especially during night classes when it’s already late!
Oh goodness I totally agree with you. The NASM textbook is so big and some of the first chapters are so foreign to me that it would be nice to be able to talk it out and see what other people are taking away from the chapters. My studying is going pretty slow and sometimes I feel like I have to re-read everything so many times to really get the information. But I’m getting it slowly but surely.
I’m in Medical School, and our program is very self-directed. For instance, I was told Monday night to learn about stroke, coma, delirium, etc. for tomorrow!!!!
It really requires me to bust my butt home, sit down and study for hours. It can be lonely, but sticking to a schedule, asking myself questions, and really being aware of what I am reading – not just taking notes – is what helps me out.
I have to say I like the style, but more direction would be great. Oh, and I hate being able to snack as a break. Not good!
I’m in grad school now and some classes are taught via “ITV” which means the teacher is on another campus and you watch them on TV – I hate it! I’m like you – I really like having a live teacher and going to class. I just learn better that way.
Im also a total nerd when it comes to learning – I have my Master’s and through all of my schooling I never once opted to take an online class because I crave that lively discussion that can erupt from a great topic. My brother is also studying for his personal training cert. and I was wondering if there were online forums you could use to connect with people who are taking the same exam? Maybe this could stimulate some of that connectedness your looking for. I know he would benefit from it as well!
Yup I totally agree – I would not do well either with the online class. . I need to be in class to learn the best! Keep up the good work with selft-studying! ANd those chocolate covered cashews look ah-mazing!
I am also studying for the NASM exam and am oddly missing the classroom setting! I find that I would probably be a little less distracted and spacey, if I was watching someone actually teach the material! Good luck with your studying! 🙂
I took some online classes through college and I think some of them were decent. I did take an online wedding planning certification class and I loved it. I was able to go at my own pace and really learn the material.
I’m studying nutritional therapy at the moment which is predominantly online but we have a meet up tutorial once a month and one weekend a month of lectures which is INTENSE as so much is crammed in. I like the mixture to be honest, going off to do my own reading and then catching up with others too. Do you have an online forum where you can chat to other students or anything?
I know what you mean about missing the classroom environment. Since graduating, I get kind of sad every year at the beginning of September because I see everyone going back to school and kind of wish that I was as well. But then I think about all of the exams and essays and feel a little bit better 😉
It’s hard to motivate yourself to study! I was homeschooled, so I think I’ve got that part down, but it’s still hard. I’m studying for the GRE right now and it takes so much dedication!
I realllllllly miss the classroom enviornment too!! I used to LOVE going to class everyday, meeting my classmates, learning the material etc….I have been wating to go back to school and am looking into some programs but sometimes I feel like it will be difficult to transition from work life to school life and to balance both…It’s a decision I’ve been struggling with because I’ll have to study for the GMAT, get into a school, pay for it and be able to balance work, school and everyday life….All this for education? Hmm
For me I know there were some classes that were only offered online. I liked them because I was able to work on my own time, but I still preferred the classroom
I like a mixture, I learn better when I can just sit and read and take notes, but I also like the discussions and hearing other points of view on a subject.
I am a nerd too, I really enjoyed being a student! I did take a few online classes during my summers in college. I really did enjoy them because I was able to complete the work way in advance and the class didn’t take me as long as the class would have taken in a classroom setting.
I agree though abut the classroom setting. I like to be surrounded by people who are learning the same thing. I learn best from sitting and taking notes while someone explains what’s going on. Although I also learn by doing, and loved in science classes when teachers had us do experiments and see what we were learning in real life!
I swear you must of written this post about me! I have been telling Craig for the last year or so that I wish I could go back to school to get my masters. I really wish I would of stayed at UCF & continued for 2 more years for my masters..but at the end of 4, I was just ready to get out. Now I would LOVE to go back- I miss studying, the routine, the classroom setting, just everything. Of course I don’t miss the stress of finals week, but I would appreciate it more now…if you know what I mean. It’s just when you are out of college for a little while, I think you appreciate the whole experience so much more. But when you go straight from high school to college, you don’t get any break in between..so it’s just a transition instead of a full on experience. Hopefully all of that makes sense, it does in my head, but it may not in words- lol 🙂 But now with the baby coming, and the CRAZY cost of school, I don’t see any masters degree in my future anytime soon. But I wouldn’t trade anything for this little lady! 🙂
I am the same way, I need the class room setting to really get it all to “click”. In 4 years of college, i only skipped out of 2 classes, I know that sounds so dorkie but it was my way to study and it cut down on hours of studying at night.
The only online courses I have done: NASM cert and Venice nutrition cert.
Good luck!
I got halfway through my MBA online and it was ok. I didn’t mind the online format, it was the subject matter that was bothersome. As someone who has worked for Fortune 500 companies for the last 15 yrs, an MBA doesn’t really apply to what I do.
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